The Latest: Officials: boy who died subject of 12 referrals

LANCASTER, Calif. – The Latest on the death of a 10-year-old boy near Los Angeles (all times local):

5:20 p.m.

A Los Angeles County child welfare agency says a 10-year-old boy who died last week claimed he was beaten, locked up and not fed.

The Department of Children and Family Services says Anthony Avalos made the claims in private interviews. The boy died June 21 in Lancaster. The agency says he suffered head injuries and likely died from child abuse.

No charges have been filed against the boy’s mother and her boyfriend.

The agency says it received a dozen referrals involving alleged neglect or abuse of the boy beginning in 2013 and he was removed from the home for several months.

The agency says it confirmed two allegations that a grandparent sexually abused Anthony when he was 4 but the case was closed when it was determined that his mother was properly caring for him.

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1:30 p.m.

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services has determined a 10-year-old boy who suffered head injuries and was burned with cigarettes likely died from child abuse.

DCFS deputy director Brandon Nichols tells the Los Angeles Times for a story Tuesday that a criminal investigation is continuing into the death of Anthony Avalos.

Anthony’s mother, Heather Barron, and her boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, have not been charged with any crimes related to the boy’s death. Neither Leiva or Barron responded to requests for comment.

Investigators said other children were removed from the home in Lancaster after the boy died June 21.

The Times reports Barron and Leiva were the subject of at least 16 calls to DCFS since 2013 from school administrators, a teacher, a counsellor and family members.